Get your (bike) gears on.

I read an article the other night in October's Cleveland Magazine that was basically an interview with a lawyer (Ian Hoffman, we won't hold it against you) who cycles to work (except in winter). He was mentioning that he felt more connected to the neighborhoods he rode through, didn't feel any real pressure during rush hour and enjoyed being able to notice little details that most people don't have the chance to enjoy while zipping along in their car to work each morning.

Now, in an exciting bit of related news Cleveland Bikes (whose board president, Kevin Cronin - another lawyer!) , recently received a $10,000 grant to start raising funds for a proposed downtown bike station across from the "Q" (formerly the Gund Arena).

Resources and examples from Cleveland Bikes:
Chicago's McDonald's Cycle Center
Bikestation
Chicago's Complete the Streets

View Cleveland Bikes NEO Bike Station Proposal

Cleveland already seems to have a strong biking population. RTA has already outfitted most if not all of its buses with front mounted bike racks and the Rapid (Rail Transit) does allow bikes during none rush hour times which creates more options if you bike downtown but can't bike back out.

If more Clevelanders got out of their cars and moved about the streets at a pace and with the ability to actually pay attention to their surroundings it seems highly likely that retail and businesses along these bike routes would indubitably increase their business due to an increase in exposure alone, and as more people move back downtown due to some really great development I can easily imagine giving up an automobile (for want of not paying parking and insurance costs) and moving to a more neighborhood and community friendly means of transportation such as the bicycle.

So, for all those out there that would love to get more people on the street, increasing pedestrian level traffic, making communities safer by creating a larger public presence and making the air cleaner make sure you do what you can to support Cleveland Bikes and the NEO Station.

Also check out Millennium Park Bike Station. Chicago has got something serious going on here.